I went into this race not expecting much. I figured I could run well, but I know the course is tough, so hoped for around 2 hours. Since it's mostly a downhill start, I did resolve to not let myself lollygag and lined up with the marathon 4-hour pace guy, figuring a 9+ min/mile would be a good initial pace. I probably should have moved up, though. It was a bit rough to keep up while dodging all of the folks who were going decidedly slower than 9 min/mile. I passed up the first water stop and found myself in front of the pace group and decided to just keep moving since the coast was now clear.

Around 3 miles in (almost all downhill at this point), the half marathoners hang a left and separate from the full people. No more pace groups to hang out with. I did not wear my Garmin, so I was running purely by feel and the quick, fractured math I could do in my head as we passed the mile markers. It appeared that I was somewhere around an 8:40ish pace at that point. A stop at the porta-potty, though, pushed me back up to 9+ average, and I hit the first 5 miles somewhere around 45-46 minutes (I missed the mile marker, so hit my lap button a bit late).

This is where the hills started. The first was a long gradual climb alongside the freeway to reach the ramp/overpass. Then, we turned into a neighborhood and it was a lot of up and down (felt like mostly up). The hills were pretty steep and, although not "long," definitely not short, either. I was focused on running this second 5 miles a little faster, but wasn't sure I would actually accomplish that as I felt slower on the uphills. I just reminded myself to run tall and lightly. When my watched showed 42 minutes and change for miles 5 to 10, I was surprised and really pleased. If I could run a 25-minute 5k, I would be around 1:53 and not far off my recent PB in October on a much easier, faster course.

Alas, it wasn't to be. The course leveled out through here, but just like the marathon last year, it didn't matter because my legs were toast. The last, long climb up Capitol St to the finish line was really tough, and it was all I could do to maintain my pace. The 26+ minutes that last 5k took were the hardest of the race, but I was glad that I didn't really slow down in the end, just maintained.

Overall, though, to finish on that hilly course, 1-month after a marathon, with minimal running in that month, and within 3 minutes of my time in October, felt like a positive achievement.

Line up a little closer to the front and try to get a faster start. My first 5 miles really should have been under 45 minutes, rather than over.

Nothing really. I got some food, grabbed my jacket, and went back to watch friends finish. Then, hung out with said friends drinking a couple of beers before heading home to walk the dog again.


Not actually training for the race; however, I had no intention of training for the race, so it is a moot point.


I love, love, love the MS Blues Marathon/Half Marathon. The course is great, the people are great, the music is great, the food is good. Pre and post race include tons of bands and then there's a pub crawl that night. If anyone is looking for a winter marathon or half, somewhere different, I can't recommend this race more highly.